National Republican., 1887-05-17
Retrocession of Alexau drla County.

EDITOR NATIONAL REPUBLICAN,: The Ma
TIoSAL REPUBLICAN, will be gratifed to learn
thai its stirring editorials on the subject of the
return of Alexandria county to the District of
Columbia have arrested the attention of ne arly
every citizen Of the county. Am1ug our farm
ers It takes precedence of all other ~ ssti )ns,
and outside of the city Of Alexandria there Is
absolutely no dissent from the proposition tina!
the county was Illegally severed from the Dis
trict, and should 20 back there In the city OF
Alexandria there is some division of feeling
though the preponderance is largely in favor
OF reunion with the District. The gain TO
property holders, both in the city aud colly
will be enormous. Real estate will at once
advance from 100 to 300 per cent for our pe).
pie will be assured of good roads and bridges
and schools, aud all those things which go
along with good government
In the matter of taxes we shall be great
gamers. The county and state taxes ara now
over lG mills to the dollar on a very high as
fessment. In the District the present tx Is ~
mills on low assessment of valua. The tax
rate iu the city OF Alexandria Is over p mills
on an assessment above the market value OF
the property. If the old District boundaries
were re-established the property. holders in
the city of Alexandria would pay only about
one.fhh. and those OF the county about one.
tions alone should determine the voice or sem
t!menusof the people of Alexandria county,
and as business men we should show that there
will be no lack of the means or energy re-
qu!rcd to bring about this loug-desired result.
suggest that an early and systematic CANVASS
of the city and county OF Alexandria h.
made so that the views of every citizen or
ommanding majority, may be ascertained aud
that a fund be raised 10 vigorously prosecute
the good work.
AN ALEXANDRIA CouSTY FARMER.
ALEXANDRIA COUNTY, Va, May l6, 1887.
The writer of the above letter is a gen.
tleman largely interested in Alexandria
county as a property holder, of ripe julg-
ment and experience In business affairs.
He, without any doubt, voices the sent-
ment Of the people of the county In declar'
ing them almost unanimous ia their desire
to return to the District, where they prop.
erly belong.
The reasons given for this desrs are of
the kind that rule almost every person In
the world, and will contloue to dc SO until
the millennal period arrlves-they are self.
interest. Enlightened selfinterest is the
best possible motive to control m m,n's ac.
tions, and the "Alexandria G )unty Farmer"
shows that 1t is to the interest In every Pos
sibe way for the people of the county to
assert and seek their rights.
No citizen of the couaty nesl bs re-
strained 10 the effort to secure the anlu'-
ment OF the retrocess!on act bscau3e OF the
decision Of the Supreme )urt In the Phlips-
Payne case. That does not decide upon the
coustitutionality OF the act. Tha court
distinctly declined TO do so, AMI II the
advice Of our correspondent is followel-
that is, If the people OF the county move In
the matter-there is no doubt but that
way can be found for them to have the
question properly adlu Heated.
The NATIONAL REPUBLICAN, has done its
part IN calling attention to the existin e
conditions, and showing that the act of re-
PROCESSION was void aud OF no effect, be.
cause It was step taken by C)ng;eiS
totally outside OF the powers conferred on
it. Now the citizens Of the county must do
their part II they expect to secure any
action.